Nine million pensioners are set to collect up to £300 this winter. The funds will be distributed via the Winter Fuel Payment, designed to offer additional support during the colder months. Despite suggestions to cut the programme, a governmental U-turn has guaranteed that many will remain eligible for the extra money.
The government declared in a June statement: “Nine million pensioners to receive Winter Fuel Payments this winter as all pensioners in England and Wales with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment.”
Typically, qualifying individuals will receive letters in October or November detailing their expected amount. According to GOV.UK: “You can get a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born before September 22, 1959 and live in England or Wales.”
Yet pensioners are being cautioned about a DWP fraud that could rob them of hundreds of pounds. The government said: “The amount you get is based on when you were born and your circumstances between September 15 and 21, 2025. This is called the ‘qualifying week’.”
However, people won’t qualify if they:
- Need permission to enter the UK and their granted leave says they cannot claim public funds
- Were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of September 15 to 21, 2025 and the year before that
- Live outside England and Wales
- Were in prison for the whole of the week of September 15 to 21, 2025
Most people will obtain the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they meet the criteria, but anyone who doesn’t receive it yet believes they should can verify whether they can lodge a claim.
The cut-off date to apply for winter 2025 to 2026 is March 31, 2026.
The Winter Fuel Payment, which ranges from £100 to £300 based on individual circumstances, will be distributed to most recipients in November or December.
The sum each person obtains can hinge on elements such as their housing arrangement and whether they’re collecting any benefits.
Even those living in care facilities are entitled to this payment.
People born between September 22, 1945, and September 21, 1959, may qualify for £100, whilst those born before September 22, 1945, could obtain £150.
Pensioners with an annual income surpassing £35,000 will still automatically obtain the payment. Nevertheless, this sum will subsequently be recovered by the DWP.
The DWP said: “Pensioners above the £35,000 threshold will have the full amount of the Winter Fuel Payment they received automatically collected via PAYE, or via their Self-Assessment return.
“No one will need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action. Pensioners who want to opt out and not receive the payment at all, will be able to do so, with details to be confirmed.”
